Sojourner Truth vs. Absalom Jones

To make it to this point, Sojourner sojourned her way past Soren Kierkegaard and Frances Joseph-Gaudet while Absalom sailed past Matthias before sneaking by Joseph.

Yesterday, Constance became the first Lent Madness 2016 participant to reach the Faithful Four, defeating Vida Dutton Scudder 61% to 39%. It’s safe to say that, in Constance, we truly do have a Cinderella of this year’s bracket! She’ll face the winner of Albert Schweitzer and Julian of Norwich in the Faithful Four.

And speaking of brackets and Cinderellas, don’t miss our saintly analysis of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Lent Madness meets March Madness. The march to the Faithful Four continues!

Sojourner Truth

Sojourner Truth is so awesome that her kitsch itself is precedent-setting. For example, Sojourner is the first Black American woman to have a bust in the US Capitol, which is pretty neat. (Despite the fact it took until 2006 to get this done. I’m going to ignore the fact you were really late to the party, US Capitol folks, and just celebrate you decided to show up at all.)

During her lifetime, Sojourner made her own kitsch. That’s right–that’s how awesome she was. In the late 1800s, it was customary for photographers to retain the rights to the photos they made. However, Sojourner had none of this. Like an early media maven, she demanded the rights to her own name and image, and sold photo cards of herself at all her speaking appearances, as an extra way to make money. For a former slave, this was an incredible way to assert autonomy over herself, and set a powerful precedent about her right to be reckoned with on her own terms. These photo cards are available on eBay, and the quote she includes on them “I sell the shadow in order to support the substance” is dead-on. The lady did not mess around.

Of course, after her death, lots of other people messed around all over the place. Hence, the rise of some really curious memorabilia. Sojourner dictated her own autobiography (entitled The Narrative of Sojourner Truth, naturally) and her life was really sad and violent, but this did not stop a surprising number of children’s biographies about her from hitting the streets. Including this one with a truly frightening cover.

In keeping with the “teach the children” theme, there is also a finger puppet, for the non-literate set. (Head is normal size.)

And if you prefer to educate people indirectly, there are Sojourner Truth cufflinks and a Sojourner Truth pocket mirror. (Because nothing screams “Prophet of God’s Radical Love!” like cufflinks.)

But maybe music is what you prefer? Lots of musical artists have found Sojourner’s life inspiring, including (not making this up) The Deedle Deedle Dees, who have a song about her on their album, which also features such feel-good dittys as “Phineas Gage Has Something To Tell These People” (yup) and the classic “Mayor LaGuardia’s Stomach” (of course.)

Less upsettingly, there is also Langston Hughes (yes! that Langston Hughes!) who has a recording in which he recounts events in Black history, including Sojourner’s life. His stories are interspersed with freedom songs and chants, by people like Leadbelly and others.

But I have saved the most spectacular for last. I ask you to cast your mind back, back to a simpler time in the late 1990s, and the first time we sent a robot to Mars. That’s right! Sojourner Truth has a space robot named after her!!!!

The Sojourner JPL Rover, as named by a 12-year old girl in an essay contest, landed on Mars, and then was promptly never heard from again. (Whoops). But, this did not prevent its extensive merchandising, including HotWheels!

And, in the movie The Martian, when Matt Damon needs some high-tech rescuing; when he is stranded alone, afraid, and in need of a friendly voice, who saves the day?

SOJOURNER, THE FORGOTTEN MARS ROVER.

Even in the imaginary world of near-future science fiction, Sojourner Truth manages to bring hope and love to the furthest reaches of the human experience.

On January 1, 1808, the Rev. Absalom Jones stood on the lectern of Philadelphia’s African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas (then located at the corner of Fifth and Adelphi streets) and gave a rousing sermon. He wasn’t there to talk about slavery and bondage. He was there to speak about deliverance!

Born a slave, Absalom worked during the night for many years in order to buy his wife’s freedom, and later his own. He was industrious. With his master’s permission, he went to school to learn how to read and write. Perhaps this is why you can now see his wax likeness at the Great Blacks in Wax Museum in Baltimore. The statue’s unveiling took place at a meeting of the Union of Black Episcopalians at the Diocese of Maryland’s Cathedral of the Incarnation

Absalom Jones loved the church. He became a lay minister at the interracial congregation of St. George’s Methodist Church. He was one of the first African Americans licensed to preach in a Methodist church. Perhaps this is why William Faulkner wrote a book titled Absalom, Absalom!

Absalom Jones knew that being a Christian entails having a higher standard! When he and other African-Americans were asked to move to the balcony of the church, he and all the others decided to walk out—an action that resulted in the formation of the Free African Society and the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas. Perhaps this is why he apparently loved football.

Absalom Jones was charitable. When Philadelphia was struck with yellow fever (“Absalom Would Go?”), Absalom Jones assisted Dr. Benjamin Rush in helping people afflicted by the plague. Jones’ corps of black Philadelphians helped nurse the sick, as well as bury the dead. Jones sometimes worked through the night taking care of the sick. During those days, almost twenty times more black people helped the plague-struck than did whites. Perhaps this is why he was once portrayed in a “Testimony Dance Drama” at a church in North Carolina.

Although Absalom Jones died in 1818, the issue of his time, slavery, points directly toward our day. How much would he have enjoyed seeing the Thirteen Amendment being ratified, hearing Martin Luther King speak at the Lincoln Memorial, watching Barack Obama’s presidential inauguration! Perhaps this is why his ashes are are kept on display in a bronze, Bible-shaped box in a chapel dedicated to him at the church he founded in Philadelphia.

Jones finished his 1808 sermon with this heartfelt prayer: “Give peace in our day, we beseech thee, O thou God of peace! And grant, that this highly favored country may continue to afford a safe and peaceful retreat from the calamities of war and slavery, for ages yet to come.”

And I pray with Absalom-
“Give peace in our day, we beseech thee, O thou God of peace! And grant, that this highly favored country may continue to afford a safe and peaceful retreat from the calamities of war and slavery, for ages yet to come.”

Are you kidding? Maybe Megan wanted Sojourner to lose? What about all the real substantial things she actually did? A sojourn is a journey so it was really not named after her. I voted for her for all the things she did.

The rover is indeed named after her: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/MPF/rover/name.html
NASA wanted to name the rover after “a heroine”, and invited children and teens to submit essays suggesting a name. Sojourner really was a great choice on more than one level.

But as for all the real, substantial things Sojourner Truth did, they were covered in the previous rounds. I voted for her as well.

This is a difficult choice – I love Sojourner because she lived in Dutchess County very near where I was born but I voted for Absalom because he bought his wife’s freedom first and helped Benjamin Rush during a fever epidemic.

Absalom’s prayer is a timely one for me today. But I voted for Sojourner because I have the Hot Wheels Sojourner Mars Rover. Since I own that piece of today’s Saintly kitsch, how could I not vote for that saint? 🙂

I appreciate that Lent Madness is primarily humorous, and not meant to be taken seriously. Still, I would like the commentary on the candidates to have more substance and less trivia. To me, it’s a little disrespectful to have these great people reduced to toys and trading cards.

I think it is all in the interests of generating curiosity to learn about the saints and to have fun while we’re doing it. In the first round we get a full biography and more serious information, you can always look back to that.

Sojourner Truth sold her own kitsch, for a worthy purpose. I think Lent Madness also serves a worthy purpose; I learn so much from the comments as well as the blogs. And I must admit, I look forward to the kitsch round!

Let’s think about birds. We find birds in a garden. AN in a garden we find cabbage. When the cabbage gets big enough, if you look under the bottom leaves, you’ll maybe find a baby. Unless a big stork has just visited the cabbage plant and taken the baby that was under it. If that is the case, we need to talk about the bees.

Beachcomber, the serious stuff was provided in the first round. You can go back and re-read it if you need to. I did for several of the earlier candidates in this round. Anyway, it is fun to read about the Sojourner Mars robot. The fact that Sojourner managed to maintain the rights to her own image while she was alive says a great deal about the force of her character, as well as her business savvy.

I agree with Monica. I want to vote for both. This is getting increasingly harder. Absalom warms my heart because of many things but especially because he chose to buy his wife’s freedom first. True love if I ever saw it. Sojourner was such a smart and innovative woman at a time when it truly was not expected of women. I am truly torn. Will have to contemplate today’s decision a bit longer.

Was this set up to remind us that Lent is about suffering? Agonizing choice–wish it was an “and” rather than an “or”. I closed my eyes and went with Absalom as I continue to be moved by him buying his wife’s freedom first so that his children would be born free. But the Mars connection to Sojourner made it very, very tough.

Well, needless to say I’m definitely not a Kitsch Krank. I love the Absalom Jones wax figure. But Sojourner’s kitsch indeed takes it to a whole new level. I’m fascinated by the photo cards that she sold- what an amazing historical detail. Megan Castellan again did a great job on her write-up, but I would have voted for Sojourner regardless. The more I read about her, the more I come to appreciate this woman of God.

Wow! Even their kitsch is inspirational. I used to live down the street from a lovely statue of Sojourner in Florence MA., a very noble bit of kitsch that I visited frequently. She gets my vote, but no disrespect to Absalom. Next time I am in Philadelphia, I will make a pilgrimage to see those ashes! Great job, both bloggers!

This was the day I dreaded. As soon as I saw the bracket, I knew it would come down to this. I love the Sojourner Truth rover, but I knew I had to back Absalom all the way when I first saw his name, in honor of our annual Absalom Jones celebration at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Sojourner, it is apparent I will be backing you in the Faithful Four, as I see how the voting is going, but for now, it’s Absalom, Absalom!

The cufflinks are the epitome of kitsch! She reinvented herself, captured the attention of so many during her own lifetime, and capitalized on her fame. A true American success story, and she did it all while serving God. Absolom Jones will just have to go through at least one more round of Lent Madness, but given that he put his wife before himself, I think he’d gladly allow Sojourner Truth to spring ahead of him to the Golden Halo.

I, too, was conflicted about which saint to vote for. I decided on Absolom Jones because I worked in Philadelphia for many years and a few years ago had the privilege of hearing the choir from his church, St. Thomas, in concert.

Faulkner’s novel is a nice addition to the kitsch, and it is one of my favorites. Of course the title refers to David’s lament in the Bible when he learned of the death of his son Absalom: “Would that I had died instead of you! Oh Absalom! Absalom! My son, my son!” What a tough choice today! I finally voted for Sojourner Truth.

I had a feeling … reading the comments in the first round … that this popularity contest would end up being between Constance and Sojourner, with Sojourner taking the halo. So I thought about going with Jones today. But since I am more annoyed that he beat Joseph than I am that Truth beat Gaudet … I guess I’ll go with the popular vote today.

This is perhaps the hardest decision I’ve ever made, but….I’m voting for Absalom Jones. Mostly because I’m biased. I’ve heard my boyfriend enthusiastically recall the story of Absalom, how he stood up for his rights and made Episcopal history by doing so. My boyfriend, being an African American aspirant to the Episcopal priesthood, holds Absalom in high regards.

My boyfriend was also elected to represent his chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians at the convention in Baltimore mentioned in this post. I remember him talking about the uncanny wax statue.

I’ve been voting in Lent Madness since 2012, and I think it is getting tougher to choose all the time! This year’s saints are wonderful, and the celebrity bloggers are doing a marvelous job! I agree with Lisa Rose that it is a shame Joseph was eliminated – after all, without his obedience to God and protection of Mary and Jesus, would we even have Christianity today? And I was disappointed when Kateri Tekawitha was eliminated in the close contest with Columba. However the Elate 8 are all clearly worthy of the Golden Halo…….congratulations to the Lent Madness team!

What great kitsch today. Sojourner has the best of the bunch so far and she got my vote. I didn’t even have to read the comments before voting today. I see difficult days ahead as the bracket gets smaller.

Although I voted for Sojourner Truth, I wanted to vote for both. Here’s another accomplishment of Absalom Jones: he was a Black Mason, and initiated the founding of African Lodge #459 in Philadelphia on March 22, 1797, according to a Web posting. I Googled him to find more info.

And thanks to you, Christine, for adding this info on a Masonic connection. You probably know this already, but shortly before Absalom Jones’s time Mozart was an active Mason in Vienna, and one of the lodges he belonged to, the “True Harmony” Lodge, had an African slave as one of its members. Angelo Soliman (Angelus Solimanus) played a major role in the development of Masonic ritual, and there is reason to believe that he was the model for a character in one of Mozart’s operas. The whole of his story is well worth reading (there’s a pretty good summary on Wikipedia).

I am such an Absalom fan, but I am so impressed by Sojourner’s ingenuity and ability to use her photograph to support herself — that could not have been an easy task in her era.
I also love the cufflinks and that we sojourned to Mars. Oh, Absalom, do forgive me.

If you think today is hard for choosing, just wait until the Bonhoeffer-Columba match-up. Still, it;s called LENT MADNESS to make you think…and cry and yank out your hair, Neverthelesss, as an Episcopal deacon, I go with Absalom Jones. In spite of being denied entry into Episcopal churches when I was growing up, I was confirmed and then ordained and remain an Episcopalian in spite of other ways of denying members of their rights. Nobody ever said it would be easy. The kitsch is fun and is not meant to be derogatory. Lighten up, folks ! Blog on, me hearties ! Forgive me Sojourner !

Sojourner so captivated me in the previous round that even a gobsmacking array of Absalom kitsch wouldn’t have changed my vote, much as I revere him. In fact Sojourner and her biographer have iced the kitschly cake with an offering worthy of Padre Pio. Truth must prevail!

Kistch Krank Alert: The Sojourner rover WAS heard from after it landed on Mars. Sojourner operated successfully on Mars and transmitted data back to Earth for 3 months. It was designed to last only 7 days. The rover showed the same persistence and communication skills that Sojourner Truth showed in her fight against slavery. And yes, I voted for Sojourner.

Kudos to Megan and Hugo for the best Kitsch round I can remember! I laughed (The Deedle Deedle Dees song-naming practices), I was inspired and informed (didn’t know that the Sojourner Rover was named for Sojourner Truth) and I teared up (at the photo of Absalom Jones and our new presiding Bishop). A lovely way to start the day!

Toughest decision yet. Choice hinges on the smallest almost inconsequential thing. [There’s probably a theological reflection in there ;)] I thought I was gonna vote for Sojourner but the photo of our own Bishop Arthur standing with the wax replica of Absalom Jones clinched my vote for him. I’m pretty sure I’ll be voting for Sojourner for the Halo.

I had to vote for Sojourner after reading that she demanded the rights to her photo & sold the cards to make money for her speaking engagements. I saw her statue in the Capitol Building when I went to D.C. in February 2013.

Very tough decision. I finally went with Truth again. I have to give her credit for being so business minded. Good for her.
I was thinking about Absalom and Constance being paired. We would have to decide which one did more for the yellow fever victims.

It’s “Absalom, Absalom” for me, although I deeply admire Ms. Truth’s bonnet, her first name, her intelligence, her bravery, just everything about her. However, Absalom occupies a special place in the heart of our church, St Philip’s Episcopal in Laurel, MD. We have no less than TWO windows to commemorate Absalom Jones. One is in Wyatt Hall and the other is in the attic, awaiting a church home. It was the first window that was ordered, but the installers found out too late that it didn’t fit.

Unfair but deeply thought-provoking. Luckily for whichever principals or agents of the SEC have to monitor this post, I will be brief: Mars, woman, striking off chains vs. Earth, men, ministry. Sojourner for me!

I voted for Sojourner Truth because when a politician said that women were too weak and delicate to work, and therefore dependent on men, she gave a powerful rebuttal. She had worked in the fields from dawn till dusk, lifting and carrying, stooping and bending, but asked, “And ain’t I a woman?”

This is a very, very tough choice. In the end I went with Absalom Jones, because he again worked with Dr. Benjamin Rush, the namesake of my medical school alma mater, and he risked his own life to care for those sick with yellow fever, in the finest traditions of medical care!

Hard choice! I went with Sojourner Truth partly because, being a Canadian, Absalom’s prayer did not touch me, patriotically. Sojourner had to deal with being a woman as well as being black and she did it really, really well!

This gets harder and harder – but Absolom was my pick. Yes, Sojourner truth had better marketing both in life and in death – but nonetheless, Absolom tended yellow fever patients – Constance and Absolom will go and did. Maybe it was the gross head on that children’s book that steered me away from Sojourner.

For my own Diocese of New Jersey, who celebrates his life, and for the City of Philadelphia, which he loved and where he worked for a better life for all, I choose Absalom Jones. His legacy still inspires here in the Mid-Atlantic. (And speaking of saintly kitsch gone wrong, check out the Richard Allen Housing Project in Philly, named for Absalom Jones’s friend, the first AME bishop.)

I’m so glad i read all the way through all of the comments, because now I know how fast my head really can spin! What to do? what to do? I have great fondness and admiration for both of these saints, so I shall pray for a bit longer!

Megan, that rover did not either just stop working! She probably kept working for some time after the main lander died of unknown causes, following her directions to circle the lander, calling, until her batteries ran down. Her twin, Marie Curie, is on display in the Smithsonian now, and can be visited. Still doesn’t help me decide how to vote; I’m a Philly native so feel I ought to support Absalom. May I vote for both?

I especially loved the Kitch Kommentary. Thanks bloggers. Sojourner for me, because she was wonderfully strong, and managed so well to do so many brave deeds….and all while being a woman in a day and age that made being female especially difficult. Lovin’ me some Lent Madness this year.

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